Palma Airport: More Than Eight Months Without a Canteen — Employees Affected

Empty tables, busy terminals: the canteen remains closed

When you walk past Terminal A in the morning, everything looks fresh: modern glass fronts, three floors, a sunny terrace with a view of the runway. But the doors are locked. The new canteen at Palma Airport has been finished for months — and remains unused, according to La cantina para empleados del aeropuerto de Palma permanece cerrada: 15.000 trabajadores afectados.

What happened?

Behind the scenes is a legacy problem: the previous operator reportedly accumulated debts with the social security authorities, estimated in the high five-figure to low six-figure range. Anyone who wants to take over the operation would legally have to assume responsibility for these claims, as explained by Spanish Social Security information for employers. Result: the latest tender received no applicants.

That affects not only the staff but also the rhythm at the airport. Around 10,000 employees, — from ground staff and security services to back-office offices — organize their breaks differently: many bring sandwiches and thermoses, some rush to the small bistros in the terminals where prices are, as is well known, higher, a situation covered in 15.000 empleados, sin cantina: por qué la pausa del almuerzo en el aeropuerto de Palma se convirtió en una prueba de paciencia.

Everyday life without a canteen

I was in the departures level last week around 1:00 p.m. and heard how colleagues improvise during shift change: one person opens a bento box, two metres away a baggage handler orders a panini and pays more than intended. Some sit outside on the stone steps despite the cool sea breeze — it is November, but the sun is still strong.

Work breaks suffer. Short breaks are stretched because the walks to alternative options take time. For commuters from Palma or the surrounding villages this often means: less break time, less rest.

What do those responsible say?

Officially, the airport administration says it is working on a solution and is examining options to ease the debt burden or find guarantees so that a new company can take over operations, according to AENA Palma de Mallorca airport information. Until then, the tables remain unused.

Why this is more than a service problem

It's about more than just lunch. Canteens are meeting places, they facilitate shift models and reduce the fast-eating habits we all know: a snack instead of a proper meal. In an operation of this size the effect is continuous.

Whoever brings the solution must not only see the numbers on paper but also understand the daily routines: short meal breaks, rotating shifts and the expectation that colleagues can spend their breaks more or less relaxed.

In the short term, employees can only bring food with them or resort to expensive alternatives. In the longer term a legally sound solution is needed so the new canteen can finally open — and the plates can be used again.